This post really doesn't have much to do with the main topic of this blog (worship), but I really wanted to share this, and this is my blog (despite its neglect), so here goes.

The Book of Mormon is changing my life. We had our Mormon friends, Elders
Anderson and Davis, over for dinner again last night. We have enjoyed getting to know their stories. Melissa and I decided from the
beginning that we would not try to press our beliefs upon them, but rather that
we would simply get to know who these two young men are. This is very difficult for me, because
my default is to try to convince people to think and believe the way I do. That’s changing, though. Lately, I have been seeking to
understand what others believe, which requires an entirely different posture
and approach to relationships. I
am dying to myself, and I believe it is here that the Good News can be
proclaimed, not with words of my own that seek to persuade, but the word of
Christ that is able to transform.

It’s hard to explain, but I don’t even desire to get them to
believe the way I do. Of course I
don’t agree with what they believe, but that’s not the point. If it was the point, all I would need
to do is argue my points with them, show them the answers, and convince them
that they’re wrong and I’m right.
And that’s what I’d typically do.
But I’m learning how unhealthy that way is. It just pits me against them, exclaims that I am “in” and
they are “out,” and ultimately defines myself based on what I believe instead
of who I know. The Person Jesus
Christ is big enough to bring his kingdom in anyone’s life, no matter what they
believe. Heck, I’m sure my beliefs
are whack as hell, and he still breaks into my life.

So, after dinner when the elders asked us if they could
share a message with us, my heart started racing a little, but I was committed
to the kind of posture that seeks unity instead of division. It was hard for me to sit there and
listen to what they were saying so affirmatively. But from the onset they were clear that they would not try
to force us to believe what they do, but rather that they would invite us to
prayerfully consider what they believe.
They asked what we knew about the Mormon Church. I said I’ve read some things and heard
things here and there, but I told them (reminding myself) that all I’m here to
do is seek to understand what they believe and to be their friend. I want to hear what they believe from them--actual Mormons.

They went first to Ephesians 2 and said that Joseph Smith
believed that the ministry of the gospel, namely the priesthood, was given to
the twelve apostles, but it ended after them. We see this in the epistles to all the churches who couldn’t
get it right. Jesus’ message changed,
and the priesthood was lost.
Joseph Smith as a fourteen year old boy in upstate New York noticed how
divided the church was and how everyone had a different interpretation of the
Bible. He asked for wisdom from
God, as the Bible instructs, and God in the person of Jesus Christ met him in a
pillar of light, revealing to him that the priesthood had ended after the
apostles, that all the churches have been preaching the wrong message for
nearly 1800 years, and that there are hidden tablets that will reveal the
truth to him. Joseph Smith was
called as a prophet to restore the original message of Jesus, and the whole
account is in the Book of Mormon, which has an equal level of authority as the
Old and New Testaments.

Of course, with every Bible verse that they opened to, I had
another Bible verse that contradicted what they were saying. But what was I to do, sit there and
argue with them after breaking bread with them? Tell them that
Peter, on whom the Church of Jesus Christ was built, is the one himself who
says that we are a royal priesthood?
Tell them that just two chapters later in Ephesians Paul talks about how
people have been give to the church as gifts: apostles, prophets, evangelists,
pastors, and teachers? Was I to
ask them why all of a sudden, in the1800’s God decided to restore his original
message after nearly two millennia of everyone else in the world getting it
wrong? Was I to get into a
hermeneutical argument with them about why they are using the Scriptures as
God’s answer book instead of a Story?
Everything in me was pulling me towards that. Everything but the Spirit.

I sat there and listened. I even read a passage from the Book of Mormon aloud when
they asked me if I would. They
asked if I would read the entire book and pray about it. I said I would. Now, if I thought the Bible was a book
with magical powers that gets into my bones by osmosis, then I might fear
reading the Book of Mormon as a demonic source that would do the same. But I don’t think that way (anymore). And in order to further seek to understand
my friends’ point of view, I will honor them by reading it. I will even prayerfully read it. Does that scare you? It would have scared me a few years
ago. But things have changed. I’m committed to my friendship with
them. I’m learning that there is
no dividing wall between believers and unbelievers? We’re all unbelievers.
So why do we insist on defining ourselves based on what we believe. “Well, the gospel is at stake,” you
might say. Yep. So why do we keep denying the gospel
with our angry lashings out at people who believe differently than we do. Christ is big enough to bring his
kingdom into anyone’s life, not matter what we believe.

So, when they were finished with their somewhat nervous
message, they asked what I thought.
Again, I told them (reminding myself) that I have different beliefs but
that I would not let that interfere with my relationship with them. (BTW, the kids were pretty needy and
rowdy this whole time, so Melissa and I were taking turns keeping them
occupied. She ended up missing
most of the conversation, but she was happier that way. She’s much more easygoing about these
kinds of things, able to provide unhindered hospitality and show love to anyone
and everyone. Me? Not so much.) I told them that I believe the truth is a person and not an
idea, and that when we make it into an idea, that’s when relationships are
broken, because everyone believes different things, and we’re not defined by
what we believe but who we know.
And I told them again (because I kept needing to remind myself) that I’m
committed to my relationship with them.

I actually learned a lot from them, not only about the
Mormon faith, but also about how to invite people to consider things for
themselves. They stuck mainly with
invitational language (scripted at times) with a few moments of
assertiveness. But what else would
you expect from tie-wearing nineteen and twenty year olds. I could tell that it was uncomfortable
for them to share what they did, but I could also tell that they believe in
it with every fiber of their being.
What else would you expect of two young men who have breathed Mormonism
in and out their whole life, one of whom lives in a town that is ninety-six
percent Mormon? It makes you think
about our children and what kind of narrative we are giving them. I don’t think we’re nearly as committed
to leading them in our faith narrative as the Mormons are in theirs. At least
the ones on mission.

One more pretty significant thing happened when they were
finished. I asked them how I could
be praying for them. Again, God is
at work in their lives (he’s at work in everyone’s life), so I asked them what
they are struggling with. They
didn’t know what I meant. So I
said that we’re all human, we all have struggles, and asked if they would
share. One of them didn’t admit
anything and said he’s a pretty easygoing person and at peace pretty much all
of the time. The other one sort of
half opened up and said that he hurts for people who don’t know the truth,
because it’s a matter of eternity.
Even though his confession was a bit masked, I could see through to the
root of his pain, and I have a pretty good idea how to pray for him…and it’s
not, “God, please change his beliefs,” but “Lord, meet him right where he is at
with your love.”

As they were leaving I asked them if I could share some of
what I believe with them next time. They were welcoming of that.
They were reminding themselves of their desire to seek to understand the
beliefs of others. They modeled it
pretty well for me, so I’ll try to do the same with them.

And that’s how the Book of Mormon is
changing my life.

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Excellent post Ryan, and fully agree with how your going about listening and building those relationships. Not only does it show u taking the position of loving them not matter what their position but there is also a hidden reward, and power for the believer humbling ourselves and allowing the holy spirit to work in power.

Great Post, two responses from me:1) The state of being open and committed to unity that you describe is much like a lot of the writing of Charles Williams (friends with cs lewis and tolkien), especially in his book, The Greater Trumps.2) The second half of the book Gleanings By the Way is a contemporary account of the sequence of events that led to the Book of Mormon: not secret stuff, certainly, but interesting. http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/38644

I happened on to your blog by accident. I lived in Utah County for 7 years. At one time we lived in a tiny town which was 99% LDS. There were different approaches Christians took to witness to their community. I wish I had read your blog back then. It seems so "obvious" but not the road most travelled. I was a psyciatric nurse and took care of many young missionaries whose secrets and personal demons came to the forefront under the pressure of both the Missionary Training Center and the mission itself. What a gift of love you are giving. God bless you and those precious ones God is bringing to your door.

At first, I admit, I was a little worried with where you were going with this! I admit that I was also a little worried along the way down your blog where you were headed to! However, I admire your stance and approach to the souls of men of another faith such as these young men. I like your comment on not believing in an idea, but rather a person, and that person is Jesus Christ. There are so many passages of Scripture that advise not falling for sources that have been added to the Bible, claiming the Bible to be 'inerrant' but I'm sure you are already aware of them.

While I do not know what trials you face, or what struggles you have day-to-day, I know that I will consistently pray for your ministry to these young men who sit and talk with you. I know that God will use you where you are to meet them where they are, even if the fruits don't show immediately. In a way, you are just as a missionary in our American world :) If those who claim to follow Christ truly lived as Christ did, I have a good feeling that the world would not be as it is. But one person at a time, taking one step at a time to reach out, as you have, is what it takes to bring the peace and understanding from the Lord that we lack amongst our bickering. Fight the good fight, Brother. I will be praying.